I Told you So
by Adria Skye
Summary: FINISHED. AU no Xanatos. QuiGon's second apprentice. Maybe the first of a series. Depends on how much people like it.
1. Default Chapter

Title: I Told You So  
  
Author: Adria Skye  
  
E-mail: adriasemailaddressyahoo.com  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: That would be telling . . . Mwhahaha! ::chokes:: Ok, ok, Qui-Gon's second apprentice.  
  
Warnings: Mild violence. . . ? Oh, and AU: This story pretends Xanatos never happened. Nothing against the Jedi Apprentice books, I LOVE them, this story just requires a different story line.  
  
Spoilers: I don't think so . . .  
  
Time frame: PRE-TPM  
  
Communication by means of thought through the Force, telepathically.  
  
Durray Kha'jhoai climbed wearily into the transport's bunk, buried her head in her pillow, and sighed heavily. She had left the Temple on a routine field trip to Tasc to test the initiates' skills. Tasc was a peaceful planet, not a full day's trip from the core world of Coruscant. On their way the transport had been boarded by hostile forces, she had almost been kiddnapped and sold as a slave by said boarders, fought alongside some of the most admired Jedi Knights in the order, been asked by a greatly revered Jedi Master to be their Padawan. All in a matter of thirty-six hours.  
  
Yes, she thought. Life had definitely just become interesting.  
  
Forty hours ago. . . . Beep. Beep. Beep. . . .  
  
Qui-Gon Jinn rolled over and groaned. He had just returned from a rather trying mission and had no desire to get out of bed just yet. Reaching over, he slapped his alarm clock in an attempt to silence the incessant beeping. He pressed the button and turned it off. When it didn't stop, Qui-Gon realized it was his comm.  
  
Reluctantly leaving the sanctuary of his sleep couch, he dragged himself over to the instrument panel and looked to see who was calling. Yoda. What the Jedi Master could possibly want this early in the morning, Qui-Gon could not imagine. He pressed the button.  
  
"Early it is not, Qui-Gon Jinn," the ancient little green master greeted him. Qui-Gon stifled a yawn. "Good morning, Master Yoda."  
  
"Almost time for lunch, it is."  
  
Qui-Gon turned around and looked at the chrono mounted on the wall of his quarters. Yoda was right, not that he had doubted him. But Qui-Gon almost never lost track of time.  
  
"Successful, your mission was?"  
  
"Yes, Master Yoda."  
  
"Talkative this morning we are not. Hmm?" Giving up on trying to get a response out of the much younger master, Yoda got right to the point. "Volunteer you, your Padawan did for the annual initiates field trip. Lonely you are and need another padawan you do, he said."  
  
At this, Qui-Gon's head shot up. I'm gonna kill you Terrence, Qui-Gon loved his former apprentice like a son, but sometimes . . . The ideas that kid gets in his head . . .  
  
"Qui-Gon, violence the answer is not," Yoda teased.  
  
"Yes Master Yoda."  
  
"Catch the transport you and young Terrence will. Leave, it does, in four hours."  
  
"Yes, Master . . . " Qui-Gon sighed and ended the transmission. He immediately placed another call. Words I will have with young Terrence, Qui- Gon thought, mocking Yoda. Yes, words.  
  
"Master?" a young, genuinely concerned voice greeted him. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Terrence Lane, young man, what the HECK were you thinking?!?!...."  
  
TBC. . . . 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
Qui-Gon yawned as he conducted roll call. The first thing on his agenda was definitely to take a nap. His eyebrows raised at the next name on the list; Kha'jhoai. "Kha'jhoai? Durray?" A sigh escaped a decidedly short, dark haired, 13 year old initiate in front of him. He looked down at her.  
  
"Kha'jhoai," she said. She sighed heavily and said it again, carefully enunciating each syllable.  
  
"Ka-joe-hi. Not 'K-ha-ja-ho-eye.' " This brought giggles from the rest of the initiates. Every single Master and Knight that taught them always messed up Duri's, name. All children waited in silence to see how much each teacher would butcher it. This young Master seemed to have done a very good job of it.  
  
"Okay, I'll try to remember that," Behind Qui-Gon, his former apprentice snickered. Giggling is not very becoming of a Jedi Knight, Terrence.  
  
I am well aware of that Master. Besides, I'm not giggling, I'm . . . uh . . . chuckling.  
  
Whatever, Qui-Gon thought, continuing with roll call. But, maybe this won't be so bad.  
  
Told you so, Master . . .   
  
Qui-Gon walked to other end of the line of students, continuing to call out names. As he passed his naturally blue-haired apprentice he "accidently" stepped on his foot, eliciting a satisfying grunt from his student. "Okay, looks like everybody's here. All aboard," he waited for Terrence who dramatically limped to his master's side and up the boarding ramp of the Republic transport.  
  
"'So bad' does not include another apprentice, Terrence. I believe I learned that lesson quite well enough about fourteen years ago when I picked you up."  
  
"Oh come on Master, how 'bout a girl? Always wanted a little sister . . . "  
  
"Very funny. No way. NO females." He deliberately changed the subject. "So, why did you come on this trip?"  
  
"To keep an eye on you, of course," He said, dodging his master's playful swat.  
  
Duri watched Master Jinn and his knighted apprentice, Terrence. She wished that some knight would come and take her as her apprentice. She had kind of hoped it would be Master Qui-Gon. She had always really admired him. Now it looked like he was out of the question.  
  
At this point she didn't care who it was. If someone didn't ask her before this trip was over, she'd be headed for the agricorps. But there were six other padawan-less masters on the field trip. . . . One down, six to go.  
  
TBC. . . . 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Alarms blared and lights flashed. Startled, Duri sat straight up in her bunk, whacking her head on the one above her. She blinked as bright lights flooded the room. Someone blocked the light for a moment then entered the room. She recognized her best friend and fellow initiate Natasha Effi, a female Mon Calamari.  
  
"Tash, what's going on?" Duri questioned groggily. "Have we made it to Tasc yet?"  
  
"No," Her friend's face was pale. "We got pulled out of hyperspace. Hull's been breeched. In the cargo hold."  
  
The intercom system crackled and came to life. For a few moments all that was heard was static.  
  
Then, in heavily accented Basic, a voice announced: "Prepare to be boarded. Do not resist or we will be forced to- " the girls didn't hear what the speaker and the rest of his company would be "forced" to do as the captain of their transport cut off the comms in all areas but the bridge.  
  
"Well then, that was fascinating. Can't say I ever heard anything quite like that before. At least, not in real life. Holo-vids perhaps," Duri looked at her friend. She was really pale, looked like she was about to faint, and was incredibly quiet. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I think I'll go for an apprenticeship in the creche. . . ."  
  
"That might be a good idea. Tash?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I'm gonna go see what's going on. 'Kay?" Her friend nodded and sat down. Putting a hand on Tash's shoulder she asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
Duri raised her eyebrows skeptically. "Alright," Just for good measure, Duri grabbed her training saber that had been assigned to her for this trip and clipped it to her belt. The blade was not a very powerful laser, not like the ones used by the Knights and apprentices. But she knew from experience that if it's power was turned to it's full potential, it would leave a very painful, severe burn.  
  
She practically ran into Master Jinn and Terrence on her way out the door. She hurriedly bowed. "Sirs."  
  
"Hello, Kha'jhoai," Master Jinn said with a grin. "Did I get it right this time?"  
  
Duri's face flushed. "Yes, sir." "Good," the master turned serious. "You ought to go back to your quarters young lady."  
  
Duri drew herself up to her full height. Considering that was only about 5 feet, it wasn't very convincing. "I'd like to help, sir. I-I'm not as inexperienced or as young as I look," then, as an after thought, "Sir."  
  
This elicited a chuckle from the master. "Alright, you can come with us. But," He pinned her with a look. "Do what I say. If I tell you to leave, you had better do so."  
  
"Yes, sir," Duri couldn't keep the grin off of her face.  
  
The master just shook his head. "Alright, come on then."  
  
By the time they reached the bridge, the boarders had entered the hold and were on their way to the sleeping quarters of the students. As soon as Qui- Gon heard this, he turned on his heal and raced down the corridor.  
  
"That man has entirely too much energy," Terrence commented. "Don't you agree?"  
  
"Completely," Duri said, nodding her head. The two of them bolted after the Master.  
  
The sounds of battle reached their ears long before the saw Qui-Gon. When they did reach him, they immediately joined the fray.  
  
Qui-Gon kept one eye on Durray-Duri, he remembered her friends called her- and wondered where she had picked up a lightsaber so early in her training. He then realized that all students had been assigned training sabers for the duration of the trip. The Force was telling him he needed to get her out of this situation. He worked his way over to her. "Durray," he called. She acknowledged him without breaking her concentration, nodding her head. "You need to get back to your cabin. The pirates missed the turn-off. Go now," he commanded.  
  
"Yes, Master Jinn," Crestfallen, she disentangled herself from their foes as quickly as possible and ran down the corridor away from the skirmish.  
  
I thought I was doing pretty well, she thought. She studied the durasteel floors under her feet as she trudged down the hall. I wonder why he sent me away? She looked up as someone screamed.  
  
Someone very familiar sounding. Oh Force no, not Natasha! She rounded the corner. Two of the pirates from the group they had been fighting had apparently broke off and found the other end of the hall. Natasha was now struggling in the bigger of the two's grip.  
  
"Let me go, you big oaf!" This made the pirates chuckle as they easily avoided Tash's sloppily placed kicks. Realizing she had yet to be discovered, Duri snuck up behind one of the pirates and ignited her saber so it stopped millimeters from his chin.  
  
"You heard her, release her. . .oaf," Duri attempted to keep a straight face. She caught her friend's eyes and caught her barely imperceptible nod of reassurance. Good, they had not harmed her. "Now," she demanded.  
  
Natasha was delighted to see her friend appear, she had known she would rescue her. She was surprised at the icy voice that belonged to her friend. She had never heard her sound quite that intimidating.  
  
Duri sensed the second pirate behind her and spun, bringing her foot up to connect with her adversary's chin. He grunted in pain and rubbed his face.  
  
"Let that one go," he said. "We'll take this one instead. She'll bring in more money."  
  
Wanna make a bet on that one, pal? Duri firmly decided she would not be taken anywhere, especially if it involved her being sold.  
  
The bigger pirate that had been restraining her friend now attempted to grasp Duri's arms. "Go Tash! Go get help!" When her friend didn't move, she repeated her request. "GO!!" She demanded, lashing out at her attacker. The other had leveled his blaster at her and fired off a shot.  
  
She whipped up her saber and harmlessly deflected the shot into the nearby wall.  
  
Stun bolts, Duri stepped closer and attempted to deliver a kick to her attacker's midsection. He caught her foot in midair. She brought up her saber and touched it none-too-gently to his wrist. He howled and immediately dropped her foot. That's interesting.  
  
She sent a burst of Force energy his way and knocked him into a nearby wall. That one out for the count, at least for a little while, she turned to locate her other attacker. He had evidently determined her too much trouble and gone looking for other victims. She had counted on this, having sent him a rather distracting Force suggestion. What she hadn't counted on was her current attacker recovering as quickly as he did.  
  
She sensed the blaster bolt he sent her way too late to deflect it. She spun, attempting to dodge it.  
  
Duri realized she'd been to late to do that also, as it contacted her arm. She gasped. That was definitely not a stun bolt. Duri was momentarily shocked by the pain and missed the stun bolt that dropped her to the deck, unconscious.  
  
Dun, dun, dun. . . .  
  
TBC. . . . 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
As Qui-Gon and Terrence defeated the last of their opponents, a frantic young Mon Calamarian girl skidded around the corner. "Master Jinn!" She called, breathing hard. "She's in trouble, she told me to get help! You got to come!"  
  
"Calm down," Qui-Gon soothed. "Slow down. Who's in trouble?"  
  
"Duri!" The girl was talking faster now. "You got to hurry! They're going to take her away!" She stopped her explanation, as there was no longer anyone there listening to her. As soon as her friend's name had left her mouth, the master had bolted down the hall, his companion following in his wake.  
  
Qui-Gon and Terrence arrived just as Duri dropped to the deck. Her attacker bent over and picked her up. The two Jedi ignited their lightsabers. At their hiss their opponent stood to face them.  
  
"Put her down," Qui-Gon commanded. "Gently. You'll be coming with us."  
  
The kidnapper's response to that was the same as any cornered criminal. He dropped his stolen "goods" and pulled his blaster. He quickly set it from 'stun' to 'kill.' He was only alive long enough to fire two shots.  
  
Security guards appeared at the end of the corridor. "It's about time they got here," Qui-Gon remarked. He knelt and checked Duri's vitals, then picked her up.  
  
"Master Jinn!" one of the security guards called. "You're needed on the bridge."  
  
"Be right there," As the guard relayed the message through his comlink. "Terrence," Qui-Gon turned his charge over to the knight. "Take her to the healers. She has a burn on her arm and may have a concussion."  
  
"Yes, Master."

  
  
"Hello, Master," Terrence greeted the older Jedi the moment he walked in the door. "How'd your meeting go?"  
  
"Fine, Terrence. We determined all the intruders have been taken care of," The master removed his robe and proceeded to hang it up. "Speaking of which, what did the healers say about Kha'jhoai?"  
  
"Ah, yes, the girl. Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Master."  
  
Immediately concerned, Qui-Gon picked his cloak back up. "What's wrong?" He thrust one arm through a sleeve. "Is she okay?" Terrence grabbed his robe before he could get it the rest of the way on.  
  
"Take your cloak off, Master. She'll be fine," He reassured. "In fact," Terrence cleared his throat. "You can see for yourself. She's sleeping on the couch right now."  
  
He hung up his robe again and turned. "On the couch?"  
  
"Yes Master, on the couch."  
  
"OUR couch?"  
  
"Yes Master, OUR couch."  
  
"And why is that Terrence?"  
  
"Well, Master, I took her to the healers' like you said."  
  
"Yes, Terrence, but that doesn't tell me why she's on my couch."  
  
"I know Master, I'm getting there."  
  
"Please, by all means, go on."  
  
"Well, they said she had a third degree burn on her arm and a concussion, like you said, Master. Then they treated her burn and gave me something to give her when she wakes up," Terrence gestured to the hypo sitting on the counter. "They also said that she would have a really, really bad headache when she woke up since she was stunned and she has a concussion. Then they told me that they didn't have room for her and since she wasn't seriously injured but needed to be watched for awhile anyway, that I should take her back to her master. The healer just up and walked out before I could mention the fact that she didn't have a master," He stopped and took a breath. "So that is why she's on our couch."  
  
"Yes, Master, that is why she's on our couch," Terrence shrugged. "I just supposed you were the closest thing she had to a master."  
  
"Yes, well, I suppose I am." Qui-Gon mused.  
  
TBC . . . .


	5. Chapter 5

This is it guys, let me know what you think!

A groan emanated from the couch.

"Durray? Duri?" A half-familiar voice brought Duri to consciousness. Rolling over onto her back, she cracked her left eye open. And immediately shut it due to the searing pain brought on by the light. She involuntarily groaned again. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Another groan and a ground out "Fine."

Qui-Gon chuckled. "Sure you are...Here, this will help some," he said as he administered the hypo. "Any better?"

"Yeah," She cracked her eyes open again. Better, but still not good, she decided. Suddenly something dawned on her. "Where am I?" She struggled for a moment to get up, but was pushed back down. Wait a minute, that face is familiar..."Master Jinn?" She asked, still squinting.

"Yes, it's me," He tucked the blankets back in around her as he sat on the edge of the couch. "They didn't have room in the Healer's Wing, so they sent you here."

"Oh," She shifted in her blankets. "Thanks."

"Sure. Now why don't you get some rest?"  
Durray yawned. "Yes, sir." She turned over as he got up. "No wait," Qui-Gon could feel her worry as she tried to sit up again but was once again restrained. "Is Natasha okay?"

"Your Mon Calamarian friend?"

She tried to nod but it hurt too much. "Yes."

"She's fine, now go to sleep," Qui-Gon sent a Force suggestion along with his command.

"Yes, Master–" was all she had time to get out before she fell asleep.

Terrence choose that moment to enter the room. He raised an eyebrow.

"It's not what it sounds like, Terrence. It is my title, you know." Although it seemed right anyway...

"Whatever you say, Master."

Duri yawned and studied the holo-checker board. Qui-Gon realized his mistake too late as his charge tripled jumped him. Duri massaged her temples, trying to get rid of her monster headache. "King me."

After doing so, the Jedi Master took his turn. "Does your head still hurt?" Duri nodded. "I'm sorry. Ah, Terrence, nice of you to join us," He said without looking up. "I was just–" He stopped mid-sentence as the initiate in front of him beat him in one move then calmly turned off the game. He heard Terrence chuckle behind him.

"Nice one."

A shy "Thanks." was all he got in response.

Durray glanced at her chrono and got to her feet. "My twelve hours is up, I guess I better get going." She folded the blanket and laid it over the back of the couch. After glancing around to make sure she would leave nothing behind, she rose her hand in farewell. "Thank you, very much sirs. I hope we meet again. May the Force be with you."

"And with you," Terrence said as she let herself out. "Hope she feels better soon, I could almost feel her headache from here."

"I could..."

"So, what were you going to tell me Master?" Terrence turned to his master when Qui-Gon didn't respond. "Master...?" He waved his hand in front of his master's face. "Hellooooo...?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't re–" He ran to the door and opened it quickly. "Durray! Hold on a moment!"

Terrence just smirked. //I told you so, Master.//

Duri turned around.

//I told you so, Master.// Terrence stood at the door to his master's quarters, watching.

//Shut up Terrence, I'm busy.// "Duri, I was thinking and..." He trailed off. "Let me start over here," Qui-Gon took a deep breath and asked. "Durray Kha'jhoai, would you like to be my apprentice?"

She had thought he would never ask. "Yes, Master."

Terrence smirked and sent again. //I told you so.//

The End

Let me know if you want to see the sequel.

-Adria


End file.
